Search Results for: Makers and Innovators
Volume
22
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THE ART OF THE ARCHTOP
Words by Jen Groundwater
Photo by Sara Kempner
At the pinnacle of guitar making, you might just find Comox Valley luthier Wyatt Wilkie.
Musical wizardry is something I’ve always...
Volume
21
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A BACKCOUNTRY, MODULAR ROOM OF ONE'S OWN
Words by Dave Nowak
How one award-winning company is reinventing a classic design for modern adventurers.
Gaining popularity in the mid-1950s, the...
Volume
21
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THE ORIGINAL SPIN SESSIONS
Words by Meagan Roberge
Photos by Meredith Rose
Black Creek’s spinning community has nothing to do with stationary bikes, and everything to do with the art and craft of...
Volume
20
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PERSONAL STYLE
Words by Nicole Bertram
Photos by Meredith Rose
By rethinking what we wear, the slow fashion movement provides support for local artistry and a path to sustainability.
As concern...
Volume
19
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MARKINGS OF THE MIND
Words by Ryan Stuart
Photos by Ian McKenzie
A designer and artist utilizes his craft to break down the barriers of schizophrenia.
Ian McKenzie sees things.
These...
Volume
19
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ADAPT OR DIE
Words by Jenn Dykstra
Photos by Boomer Jerritt
Boomer Jerritt’s long history with photography represents the unique combination of skills needed to succeed in a...
Volume
19
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REMARKABLE SOFTNESS
Words by Leanne Prain
Yarn bombing, the spontaneous act of applying textiles in public spaces, liberates both artist and observer from expectation.
What is...
Volume
19
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IN THE FIELD
Words by Jen Groundwater
Photos by Jenn Dykstra
MO MOSHIRI: EXPLORER
“I’ve been a traveller since I was three,” says Comox-based MC, songwriter, and producer Mo Moshiri. He was born in Iran during...
Volume
16
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THE CLARITY OF GLASS
Words by Suzanna Weimer
Photos by Vince Kehn
A New Zealand artist reclaims herself through the sensory joys of a Campbell River studio.
I was sitting in a ceramics class...
Volume
15
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FILM FOR THE FUTURE
Words by Krista Tupper
Photo by Dan Peruzzo
The CVAG Youth Media Project is empowering Comox Valley youth through artistic skill building while providing an avenue for community...
Volume
15
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FAMILY FRAMEWORK
Words by Jamie McCue
Photos by Sara Kempner
The A-frame is an architectural style that needs little explanation, aptly named for its high peak and steep angles. A-frame popularity can be attributed to a...
Volume
13
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Tough Love
Words by Dave Nowak
Article & Gallery photos by Kain McCollum
Other gallery photos by Michael Drummond
& Sara Kerr
Four artists collectively known as the Wood Vibe Tribe are refreshing woodworking traditions and using the power of camaraderie to share their own...
Volume
12
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Creating Fun & Games: Jason Kapalka
Interview by Tom Keenoy
Photos by Ross Bodenmann
There’s a new sign up at the Harbour Centre building in Comox that maybe doesn’t quite fit with the other businesses near the water. I caught up with Jason...
Volume
12
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Forging Perfect Imperfections: Fire & Hammer Forgeworks
Words by Kerry Hale
Photos by Lorenz Jimenez
By his own admission, James Emslie has a knack for making modern things from other people’s discarded items. His Facebook page says he is a “maker of...
Volume
12
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Food at the heart of the community
Words by Bobby Herron
Photos by Amy Shaw
LUSH Valley Food Action Society.
We live in an agriculturally rich region where traditions converge to create a sophisticated local food...
Volume
11
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As You Like It
Words & Photos by Bobby Herron
As You Like It Products & Catering epitomizes the farm-to-table approach to food production and service. Chef, caterer, and food producer Laura Agnew believes...
Volume
11
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Casting Light
Words by Allie Jenkinson
Photos by Jenn Dykstra
The process of illumination at the Fanny Bay Candle Company.
The setting of The Fanny Bay Candle Company is pastoral. Donalda Lauzon...
Volume
11
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Making an Impact
Words & diagram by John Gower
Photo by Jenn Dykstra
Building blocks of sustainability
Picture a small boy sitting on a tall drafting stool, drawing rocket ships, submarines, and houses...
Volume
11
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MATERIAL CREATIVE
Words by Nora Bingham
Photos by Meredith Rose
Creating beauty on the cutting edge.
When I arrived at Material Creative’s studio in Cumberland, an unseasonable rain was falling...
Volume
11
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Cody ‘Beaver’ LaFrance
Words by Dan LaFrance
Article photo by Sara Kempner
Gallery photos by Dan LaFrance
The evolution of a visionary carver
At the tender young age of eight, while attending Quadra Elementary School, Cody LaFrance (Beaver)...
Volume
10
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Painting with Fire & Soda: Ceramics of Jeff Brett
Words & Photos by Jeff Brett
Conjuring art in the midst of chaos
The kiln has been firing for six hours. Brilliant orange light is emanating from every crack in...
Volume
10
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If I Had A Hammer
Words by Dave Nowak
Photo by Jenn Dykstra
The Shed Tool Library & Makerspace Co-op
In the 1980s, I was living in a subdivision in the suburbs just north of Toronto. On any...
Volume
9
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Off-the-grid: the Beauty of Disconnecting
Words by Dave Nowak
Photo by Allan Sawchuck
Mention to someone that you want to live off-the-grid and it will conjure up images of a smoke-filled tarpaper shack, pit toilets, and diesel generators...
Volume
9
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Knit, connect, knit: Wolf and Faun Knits
Words by Nat Raedwulf
Photo by Ron Pogue
Connecting a community of Comox Valley crafters with the world
I’ve been a knitter most of my life. I consider it a sort of...
Volume
8
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More Than Good Design
Words & Photos By Jamie McCue
Dialect is a small design studio based in the Comox Valley that was created by Alex Dunae and Nik Szymanis in 2008. The duo behind Dialect builds websites, and...
Volume
8
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Float Your Boat: Hilmark Boats
Words By Dave Nowak
Photos By Jenn Dykstra
Quality, handcrafted & traditional wooden boats.
In the past I have waxed poetic about the beauty of wood; how it can be shaped,...
Volume
7
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Water-Proofed Pioneers: Aqua Quest
Words By Dave Nowak
Article Photo By Jenn Dykstra
Gallery Photos By Lorenz Jimenez
'Wet-Coast' inspired waterproof solutions for world travels and backyward adventures.
They say necessity is the mother of all...
Volume
6
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Complete Combustion: Mason Heaters
Words By Dave Nowak
Photos By Jenn Dykstra
A young mason unites modern heating challenges with ancient solutions
Since it was first discovered, fire has been heating our caves,...
Volume
5
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Sewing Wild: Sew What I Sew
Words By Dave Nowak
Photos By Jenn Dykstra
A man, his sewing machine, and a passion for new experiences come together in a Cumberland business.
Adventure is dirty business. With...
Volume
4
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Reaching Out With Robotics
Words By Christina Wiens
From a converted classroom on the second floor of NIC’s Discovery Hall, Albert Balbon is changing the way students learn science and technology, one robot...
Volume
4
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Wired Watershed
Words By Tim Ennis
“Colby is a Swiss army knife. He pretty much does it all. James is our IT guy”, explains Jason (‘action’) Jackson. Collectively the three are the...
Volume
4
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Live/Work In Tin Town
Words by Sophie Simard
And Jared Sato
Imagine no commute to work, more time for sleep and leisurely mornings, flexible hours, no boss, more family time, time for hobbies, no packed lunches, the...
Volume
4
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Squeegee Valley
Words By Andy MacDougall
Intro Photo By Gordon Ross
Screen-printing is enjoying a resurgence on a worldwide scale, in part because the industrial/functional side is incorporated onto, or into so many everyday...